1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to bed frames adapted to hold and cover a mattress. More particularly, the invention relates to a bed frame structurally configured to protect the occupant of an underlying bed, from falling or flying debris inside the building in which the bed is located during an earthquake or other occurrence causing structural failure of the building.
2. Prior Art
Structural failure of buildings providing shelter to occupants such as homes, apartment houses, hotels, condominiums, hospitals, and other such buildings, is a common result of natural disasters such as earthquakes. Such structural failures of buildings in recent decades have also been a result of intentional or accidental explosions. While buildings are easily repaired or replaced subsequent to seismic damage, for the human occupants of a tremor-damaged structure, injuries and even death are likely outcomes which do not have such a simple solution.
Due to the fact that people spend up to a third of their lives sleeping, when they are in their dwelling or in a building providing a temporary dwelling, it is highly likely they will be in bed, and just as likely they will be asleep. Consequently, there is a high likelihood that during the time people occupy their own dwelling or a temporary dwelling such as a hotel, should the structure surrounding them be subjected to violent tremors, they will be in bed asleep. As such, people are in need of protection from injury or possible death from injuries caused by structural damage while they are in bed asleep and unaware of imminent danger and a device which will afford them a defense shield and refuge at all times.
In earthquake-prone areas of the world, it can be a harrowing experience for a person to lie in bed to go to sleep in what is essentially a vulnerable position with little or no protection. Such must be especially frightening for invalids, heavy sleepers or young family members in the household.
In prior art, numerous structures to protect sleeping occupants within buildings have been proposed. Many of the designs of such prior art are configured in a manner rendering them unsightly in appearance, or inadequate structurally to protect the bed occupants. Others teach complicated devices which employ mechanical drives, and hydraulic or spring-loaded mechanisms, which purport to provide various modes of protection to a bed occupant. However, these devices are expensive to manufacture and thus cost prohibitive for large portions of the population subjected to earthquakes.
Examples of the prior art providing less than adequate solutions are numerous. U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,864, to Wicker, teaches a bed and frame which is configured with a drawer positioned underneath the mattress. The bed occupant during an emergency is supposed to open the underlying drawer, and position themselves within its confines. Once so positioned, the user is supposed to slide the door closed, thereby enclosing them in the small confines of a drawer during the emergency. This device is less than adequate in that it requires the user to be awake and have the presence of mind to open a drawer and then somehow close it while they are within it. A user who fails to wake quickly enough or panics and does not occupy the drawer, is left with little protection. Further, the user is confined essentially to a coffin-like structure even if they occupy the drawer. Falling debris could surely trap them in the drawer once the emergency ceases.
Other prior art references listed on the Information Disclosure Statements filed herewith and made part hereof, are equally deficient in providing users a structure which will afford the user substantial protection against the perils of building destruction during natural and man-made disasters. The prior art provides structures which are unstable as well as being less than structurally sturdy, or are too heavy and too large for transport and placement within occupied structures due to door size limitations.
As such, there exists an unmet need for a bed support frame, which is configured to protect the occupant of the bed from injury or death caused by the structural failure of the dwelling in which the bed is positioned. Such a support frame should be configured with a roof or overhead covering, which is structurally configured so as to protect the bed occupant from falling debris, walls, ceilings, roofs, and other structural damage which occurs during either natural or man-made disasters. Still further, such a device should be lightweight as compared to the prior art to allow for easy transport and installation, and configurable from components to allow the components to pass through the narrow confines of a building. Further, such a device should be adapted for easy assembly once transported to the room of choice.
It should be noted, the foregoing examples of related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the device and system described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related art are already known or will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.
An object of the present invention is the provision of a bed frame which is structurally configured to protect the occupant and act as a defense shield and refuge should the building in which they sleep be damaged by earthquakes or other disasters.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a bed frame which, while structurally protective, is lightweight compared to existing art.
Yet a further object of this invention is the provision of such a protective bed frame, which may be assembled of components which are easily passed through narrow confines of a building and still form the frame herein having significantly enhanced strength.
Further objectives of the disclosed invention herein will be brought out in the following parts of the specification wherein the summary and detailed description of the invention are for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon.